The CrackBerry Team has now spent a month using the BlackBerry Z10. Here's what we think of the first BlackBerry 10 phone after putting it to the real world test for 30 days.

March 5th marked month since the BlackBerry Z10 landed on Canadian soil. Canada was the second country (behind the UK) to get the device, and while it's still not available in the US, we have been able to manhandle it for a month. While our initial BlackBerry Z10 review remains true, we do have some more thoughts on things now that we've put it to the real-world test.

Leading up to the BlackBerry 10 launch and the release of the Z10, we were optimistic yet uncertain as to how things would pan out. Of course we wanted BlackBerry to succeed, but it was hard to judge just how well BlackBerry 10 would do with consumers. As it stands now, demand appears to have exceeded BlackBerry's expectations and that's not even counting the Z10's availability on AT&T, Verizon and T-Mobile in the US. The Z10 will arrive in the US soon and it will be an even better phone than the unit we initially reviewed.

On February 28th, BlackBerry rolled out its first software update for the Z10, which brought with it a number of power user friendly enhancements. The update targeted literally all of the gripes we had with the Z10 during our initial review. The camera now takes better low-light shots. Calendar issues have been addressed, and the Hub received improvements to improve the quality of the experience. The half-baked Bedside mode -- a personal pet peeve of mine -- is now fixed, allowing for phone calls to ring during the night while all other notifications are turned off.

Battery life has seen a drastic improvement on the Z10 following the 10.0.10.672 update

Most importantly, battery life has seen a drastic improvement on the Z10 following the 10.0.10.672 update. The Z10 received over 60 battery saving refinements in this OS update, and WOW, did they make a difference. The Z10 went from having battery life that was OK at best, to now having really impressive battery life. We're big users (obviously) and some days it takes a lot of use to even put a dent in the battery now, while prior to the update we'd be swapping batteries or topping up via the Z10 charging bundle by 3pm. Most initial Z10 reviews pointed out concerns with the Z10's battery life, which had us concerned that a lot of potential owners may be turned away from the phone for this reason. It's great to see just how fast and how well BlackBerry addressed the issue. Unless you're using the phone non-stop during the day you should be more than happy with the battery life at this point (if not, check out these Z10 battery saving tips).

One of the biggest signs of success for us is that none of the Crack Team have dual-wielded phones since the end of January (even Bla1ze!). We've said it before, but we love to stress that no longer do we feel any need to rock out with more than one device when we head out of the house to get a full mobile experience. The Z10 packs all of what we love and had hoped for into one package. The Z10 still offers that awesome communication experience that has always made our BlackBerry phones indispensable, and has filled in the blanks and then some on all of the things BlackBerry has been missing compared to the competition these last few years. There is definitely room for BlackBerry to keep refining and adding new features (10.1 anyone?) and there are definitely some specific apps we want to see come to the platform, but overall it's by far the best BlackBerry we have ever used and a compelling smartphone experience, especially for communication-centric individuals.

Without further ado, here's our personal thoughts on the BlackBerry Z10 after using it for a month.

Kevin Michaluk

There's a lot to love about the BlackBerry Z10 and every week I use the phone I grow to love it even more. On the hardware side, the Z10 continues to impress. I love the look and feel of the phone, as does everyone I show it to (including a lot of iPhone and Android owners). Prior to getting my Z10, I was convinced I would ultimately end up longing for the Q10 and its physical qwerty keyboard. After a month of use, that's just not the case - I am 100% sold on the BlackBerry 10 touchscreen typing experience. Let me say that again. I am 100% sold on the BlackBerry touchscreen typing experience. After the Storm and Storm 2, that's a sentence I never thought I would be able to write about BlackBerry... ever... but all is forgiven with the Z10!

Initially I felt less productive on the Z10 compared to my Bold 9900, but over the course of a month that feeling has completely reversed

Initially I felt less productive on the Z10 compared to my Bold 9900, but over the course of a month that feeling has completely reversed. Once you learn where everything is, the hub and flow experience of BB10 combined with the pure performance of the Z10's hardware allow you to get more done quicker. That said, it can be quicker still. A shortcut from the lock screen directly to the default Hub view would make me a happy camper, as would some additional gestures of shortcuts to allow me to churn through my inbox quicker.

With older BlackBerry phones you eventually accepted what they weren't capable of doing well and just used the phone for where it excelled. The Z10 has forced me to relearn what a BlackBerry is capable of doing. And the Z10 has proven to be a rock star at every task I throw its way.

Adam Zeis

I know everyone hates me for being in the US and already having a Z10 for a month, and I'm sorry. The good news is that it's amazing and well worth the wait. Only a few more weeks to go... and maybe less!

I know others will agree with me, and I can't stress enough how much I love my Z10. I only have one device to worry about and no longer need two (or more) phones when I head out. It's the platform I love and that makes it even better. Every day I'm amazed by what I can do with the device - from work to personal tasks - it really does have everything I need. I find myself getting around the OS with ease and never having that WTF moment where I want to toss it out the window.

The good news is that it's amazing and well worth the wait

The battery is great for me (the new OS update made it even better) and I really don't have many complaints. There are some things missing that I wish were there like custom profiles, but hopefully we can expect more updates down the road to bring in more features.

I also find myself gaming a lot more which is cool. I've never been big on games, partly because I always needed another device, but now on the Z10 gaming is awesome. Nuff said.

Bla1ze

I've had the Z10 since the launch event in New York and previous to that I had been using a multitude of devices. My Galaxy Note II and iPhone 5 now sit on my desk uncharged, neglected and getting dusty. Sure, the apps on BlackBerry World for the Z10 aren't as plentiful as on other platforms but honestly, and I know it'll sound cliché, I find I don't really need them or there are optional replacements like the web browser that often times work better than the actual app. The apps will grow over time and it's all still very new.

I'm not going to deny it, I've wondered a few times what the heck BlackBerry was thinking when they removed, never added, or replaced certain features, but there's nothing that makes me want to stop using my Z10 because of it. Plus, I know BlackBerry is paying attention to concerns and addressing them as soon as possible as we saw with the most recent OS update for the Z10. We may be on "v1.0" currently but BlackBerry is already ahead.

Overall, I'm quite satisfied with the BlackBerry Z10 all around. It's a great first device to introduce BlackBerry 10 and with the platform being all new, there is excitement for the things to come. Not only with future devices but future OS updates as well. I'm genuinely excited for BlackBerry and BlackBerry 10. It's the excitement I felt when I first held the BlackBerry Pearl 8100 being relived.

Simon Sage

It really is great to be back to one phone again. The steady stream of new apps for the Z10 is keeping me interested in popping into BlackBerry World every day, and it's rare that I'll come out the other side without downloading something. I was affected by the calendar issue in the launch build of BlackBerry 10, but it's great to see things have been patched up so quickly. As for the keyboard, I'm still training it, and my performance is noticeably improving on a week-by-week basis.

As for the immediate future, I'm actually kind of pumped for the American launch. I'm sure plenty of developers are holding off for the U.S. availability of the Z10 before launching their apps, and that'll mean a great second wave of content to enjoy. EA, Halfbrick, and Madfinger, I'm looking in your direction.

In the longer run, I'm still eyeballing the Q10. I really miss my keyboard shortcuts (especially for jumping to the last unread message), and as nice as the BlackBerry 10 keyboard is, I'm still not as comfortable as I would be with real buttons under my thumbs.

James Richardson

The last six weeks for me have been smartphone heaven. The BlackBerry Z10 is not only my new best gaming friend but it has also increased my social networking interactions due to the BlackBerry Hub. The Hub is the best thing since sliced bread. It's official - there is no faster way to react to incoming notifications. It's all about the Hub for me. Did I mention I love the Hub?

DJ Reyes

I've loved the Z10 from the day I owned it. Especially the keyboard. And the Hub, there's no going back from the Hub. Just the simple fact you can peek from anywhere to check everything is awesome and makes everything so much better. Of course there are a few niggles with a brand new OS.

The latest update has addressed a few of those but there's still some ironing out to do. I relied heavily on Word Substitution before and it's not quite there as it was with BlackBerry OS. The Facebook and Twitter still need to be better and I really wish we could edit each individual notification like we can with BBOS. There are a few other things but those the main ones I'd like to see addressed first. But I love it!

Zach Gilbert

Just one short month later and I'm still learning new and cool things on the BlackBerry Z10. From the way the BlackBerry Z10 powers up, to the way you can get the perfect photo every time with the Time Shift feature. The BlackBerry Z10 is truly a device that was made for today. The feature that I can't get enough of would the REAL multitasking. Because the BlackBerry Z10 runs on the QNX kernel it can do true multitasking, no faux multitasking like some of those other platforms. You know whom I'm talking about.

If there is one thing that I could say to a prospective BlackBerry Z10 owner, it would be to truly embrace the BlackBerry Flow. Don't pick and use it, pick it up and experience the all new, totally reinvented BlackBerry 10 experience.

Richard Devine

The Z10 easily has one of the best touchscreen keyboards I've ever used

I'm two weeks in to Z10 ownership and so far, so good! The hardware is absolutely fantastic, and equally the OS is so pleasing to use day to day. I'm a big Android user (normally you'd find me as a regular contributor over at Android Central), and to say I spend a lot of time swiping up on my Nexus 4 whenever I still pick it up shows how the gesture stuff really has taken hold! I'm still not 100% on whether I'll defect to the Q10 and its full QWERTY, though the Z10 has easily one of the best touchscreen keyboards I have ever used.

The highest compliment from me -- I can leave the house for the day with just a BlackBerry again without feeling like I'm missing something. Get me Spotify and Netflix though and I'll be one extremely happy camper. Those are literally the only 2 apps I need right now.

Marcus Adolfsson

The Z10 has been my primary phone for the last month now, and I am really enjoying the flow and peek experience. You know you are a BB10 fanatic when you start swiping up from the bottom on other phones and expecting something to happen.

I can care less about Instagram and Netflix, but Skype with Hub integration would be nice

The unified Hub works great, but the lack of toast-like notifications are annoying. The address book with LinkedIn, Twitter and Facebook integration is fantastic. App support is slowly improving - I can care less about Instagram and Netflix, but Skype with Hub integration would be nice. The platform is fairly easy to develop for, in the last two months I have written two apps for BlackBerry 10. If you own a Z10 you should definitely download CB10 - it's the best way to visit CrackBerry on your phone. And if you're driving a Tesla Model S, be sure to grab Model S for BlackBerry.

More Z10 Reviews...

Overall, we're a pretty happy and optimistic bunch right now. The first OS update took care of a lot of the minor gripes we had with the Z10 when we first reviewed it. And strolling through CrackBerry's Z10 forums and talking to Z10 owners IRL, there is a lot of enthusiasm and love for the phone. There are some rants too of course, which is to be expected (guess what? it happens about flagship Android phones and the iPhone in the forums on our sibling sites too), but the overall sentiment toward the Z10 has been extremely positive. There's still work to be done. There are still apps to bring onto the platform. There is no doubt that with the Z10 that BlackBerry is back in the race, and they've jumped off the blocks sprinting.

It's been about 2 weeks for me but feels like a month. There are no words that fully encompass how I feel about the phone. It's magical, it's beautiful, it's 10rrific! I've tried so many ways to get it on my work network, to no avail. But once it's available in the US, I've got approval to upgrade early (ime. Immediately!) I do kiss my keyboard shortcuts from the 9900, but with the bigger screen, I'm willing to forego those. Like I said...no words. just 10rrific

1 Month in for me and this is only the begining!
I wake up in the morning geuinely excited to check my phone. I'm constantly making up excuses or looking for reasons to use it.
My only grip is the the damn wife won't let me buy her one cause her 9800 still works. Pissin me off! Thinking about sabotaging it, any one have suggestions so it doesn't look intentional?

Good luck with that 9800 thing. I ran over my 9800 with my daughters Rav4, if fell as I got out of the car to pump gas. There was snow on the ground, which gave a little cushion the screen cracked but everything else worked fine. This happened the end of December. It's felt like a eternity since then, but I pick up my Z10 tomorrow.

Just over 3 weeks for me as Three in the UK was a bit slow off the mark. Haved loved every minute of the experience and it just went into overdrive today when I found a work round to getting the latest OS (get a grip Three). I was constantly mocked by my younger work colleagues when they saw me with my 9810, now it's a different story as they can't wait to have a play. I have heard at least 3 saying that they are switching to the Z10 at the earliest opportunity. It's been a great adventure so far and long may it continue.

Hey Kevin, I think you meant to say that March 5th marked a month...perhaps a quick update to the first sentence is in order. BTW, yesterday was a month for me with my Z10 and I love it. Best BB I've ever used.

Also, 3rd last sentence, missing "done". :)
1 week for me come 4pm today. So far really liking it. Gaming is amazing, but still finding myself stumbling a bit compared to my 9900 that I had for 2 years. Especially when trying to navigate a typo. it's often quicker to delete the whole word and retype. Annoying and miss the tack pad a bit.

I found this annoying as well, until I read the tip that once you have the navigation bubble up you can tap it on the right or left to move one letter in that direction...brilliant.

Probably the best compliment I can give to the hub is that I no longer have dedicated, bbm, text message, and email message icons on my home screen. Then consider that I can tweet, respond to linkedin, and view all my alerts in the HUB and it truly does change the process of being alerted of, and responding to all my social interactions.

I also just love this phone. Even more every day like others have said. Took it out of its case for the first time today in a restaurant. Within less than a minute the waitress was asking if this was the new Z10. Let her hold it (the phone) and just watched the look on her face. 3 other tables were watching. It was fun.

I have been using the z10 for about a month and have no complaints. Like everyone else I didn't like the battery dying so quickly but after the update all is up to spark! I have only ever used one device at a time and now using the z10 one device is all I will ever need. I use the device for gaming (something I never thought I would say about a bb), work and personal use and have no regrets. Love the z10! Keep them coming BlackBerry!!!

Been a week for me and honestly i love this phone to bits..sure its not as app happy as other platforms but since ditching my s3, i havent looked back.

Of course there are a few things that i would like to see back in BB10, the flashing green led for example but other than that, pretty damn happy with this phone and the killer is that its so so nice to hold in the hand. Found my mums iphone 4 and iphone5 are horrible to hold comfortably unless you have a case for it and the S3 is a bloody brick and is impossible to use one handed.

It's just the dithering and the lack of any information about a release date that has us all feeling pretty left out. We come to Crackberry for our fix but it is pretty unfulfilling when we can't be joining in the discussion.

It is a daily routine to read crackberry (for the last 9 months) and stay up on all the news. When all the news has Z10 in it, it is salt in the wound to some extent. I am really impressed of how BB has done thus far and when the Z10 is in my hands, life will be sweeter ( for a while ). Having patience is not something many Americans have. I would have to say those that are still BB users are the ones with the most.

I feel for you! If I had had to wait one more minute I might have died! But try to console yourself knowing that you'll have big app releases, probably another update to the OS, and, oh, yeah, NO three year contracts!!!
I know that knowing all that doesn't really make it easier, but, they really are doing it all for you.
If you meet me in Montana, you can play with mine...
(best I can do )

I ordered a holster and charger from CB on Wednesday during the website change...Got it a few minutes ago...extremely fast service. Now it is even more urgent to get a Z10 to put into the case so that we (USA) can experience the goodness of this article and relish the moments. I signed up for the BB ready program and should receive a free Z10 4 weeks after the AT&T release (according to the rep that I spoke with 2 weeks ago), so I plan on having 2 Z10s by May. Double the pleasure.

Greetings from South Africa. I was miffed off that the USA would get a superior product whilst we were the guinea pigs - amazing how human nature & different points-of-view can result in such variation in opinion on the same subject.

One month for me on the Z10 and just love how great the phone works. It is so fast at opening apps and the browser is so much better now. I love the look of the phone and how it feels in his hand, everything is right there. Also the phone part of the phone is great too! Imagine that a smartphone that is actually a good phone. Call quality is wonderful, a really great speakerphone and it is easy to answer and dial calls.
Battery Life is very good now after the software update.
Typed this all with my thumb too! Haha.

While you're editing it with Storymaker, use Daft Punks 'Robot Rock' for the background music. Maybe BlackBerry should team up with them as well. They do have a new album coming out in May. Its a win/win for both.

Week and a half for me now
The Z10 is incredible so far, even typing this is a breeze, since I am mostly just swiping now
And as noted by others I just carry my Z10 now
I am extremely happy with this phone
And every gs3 and ip4/5 owner I show my Z10 to, is like damn I should have waited to get that
Go BB go

Almost a whole month for me and I can say it's the best phone experience I've had, ive owned 2 iphones and many BlackBerrys, but this is by far the greatest for ease of navigation through the phone. I do miss the camera on the iphone but with updates I believe the camera on this phone will have lots of potential

Where u@? Naija or abroad? I ask cos I wanna know where u go to peek at the phone.

It's a great device and I'm so glad I held myself back from discarding it after I initially felt frustrated during the first week of having it. I still use my SG3 cos it's got some of the apps I'd love to see on here but I'm certain that I'd be done with it the moment I get those apps on here. It's only 3wrrks for me tomorrow and I already have started showing it more live than I do my galaxy. It feels sleek and my typing o. The galaxy gets worse every time cos this keyboard is AWESOME. Now starting to feel like I have a phone...Mt he twitter has seen a reasonable update and I'm sure others will follow...mm i'm loving it.

I love this phone. Had it just over a month and each day is like opening a new present. It's fresh and exciting and the keyboard is just fantastic. Can't wait for the updates to make the experience even better.....

What's lacking in Word Substitution?!? This is one of my most used features on my 9850 and every BB I've had before it. I'm sure whatever it is it will be added in software upgrades. Nothing like typing "inm" and having "In a meeting now, call you when it's over." spit out.

Word Sub is one of my most used features, with all the BlackBerry devices I've owned. I just feel it isn't as smooth as with BBOS. An example, with BBOS, if I added a punctuation after my shortcut, it would automatically populate but with BB10, if I add a punctuation, it's overided, what would appear is the shortcut instead. I have to press space before adding the punctuation. After a month, it's not something I've have got used to doing yet.

Maybe lacking wasn't the best word to use. It's still awesome that this feature exists on BB10, there are just small things that seem to work slightly different now. Make sense?

This phone is a beauty. At first I didn't get the flow, but now I love how brilliant it is. Open an email from the hub, tap to open a weblink, you're there, then inside that page tap to open a pdf link, you're there, done reading it, tap back and you're back to that the Web page, tap back again and you're back to the email message.

Only thing better would be if we could go to the next unread item in the hub from inside the message you're reading.

When I was in Puerto Vallarta in February, I loved showing off my Z10 and telling the Mexican folks I met that this awesome phone is made in México. A business professional I met was impressed with the ability to set the keyboard for not just one but 2 or 3 different languages. And this feature is integrated into both the spellchecker and the flick-typing experience. At that point he decided it was the phone for him.

Have had it since February 5th, and loving it. My wife who had become BlackBerry averse even liked it enough that she got one a week later. She is on Rogers and I'm on Virgin so she got the OS update a lot sooner. My only real gripe is I'm not loving the desktop software and hope they add some better functionality and control to that.

Hey Kevin, what if BB implemented an up and to the right swipe (peek gesture) from the lock screen to get directly into the hub. I am a U.S. soon to be Z10 owner, so I haven't played with the phone, but it seems like this would make sense? What do you think?

What about something even directly from the black "sleep" screen because you see the "blinking red light" and you know the the first thing you want to do is go directly to the hub. No need to swipe bottom to top to get to the lock screen just to do another gesture to get to the hub. Having a shortcut from sleep and from lock would be awesome.

Almost a month for me and I absolutely love it as much as I did day one. I always thought I'd hold out for q10 but had to give this virtual keyboard a try. Now I'm not sure if I even want the q10 anymore :p

I've been using the Z10 for about a month, migrating from my BB Touch, and I am really impressed. Blackberry has done a very elegant, fantastic job with this device, from the hardware to the OS. I too, am pleased with the battery life improvement. I do miss a couple apps that I used on a regular basis on my Touch that haven't made it over to BB10 yet (Cozi, Gas Buddy), but I have work arounds that are acceptable via email or web browser. I completely love the Hub and BB Flow, which to me was very intuitive. I love how I can peek above my Hub notifications to see my upcoming calendar appointments. Have used speakerphone for a couple meetings to good effect. As was the case with my Torch, the call quality is better than my wife's iPhone 4 call quality, and I never put callers on mute or hold like I do with the iPhone, brushing up against my ear. The web browser is very fast and renders well. The camera facial recognition and time shift is fabulous and my wife is jealous of that feature. Siri is better voice recognition and search than BB10, but I would rarely use this feature myself, and honestly I have never seen my wife use it.

Overall, this is a very impressive initial offering from Blackberry, particularly when I think about the equal grounding that this puts a new platform against iOS and Android. Well done!

Got my Z10 on day 4 UK... totally and completely in love.... my 9900 was the best communications device I ever owned and was so excited for the new platform. since I am using the Z10 I can honestly say I am not even the slightest bit disappointed. A few apps I want but they will come, I have never been so happy with a device as a complete experience. From hardcore BlackBerry communications to media consumption... the Z10 is the complete package.

I do admit there is still lots they can do, but this is a great phone. I am a ridiculously heavy user and its everything I ever wanted and more....cant wait to see where BlackBerry bring us over the coming years.

Brilliant coverage of the release and information CB... you have been a great help through the learning curve... no manual needed, just go to CB to find out everything you need!!! Fantastic!!!

Honestly, when I got the phone on Feb 5th the battery life worried me. It would die half way through the day.. After this update it has turned into by far the best battery life on any smartphone I have used.. all my friends with their I phones are jealous Lmao.. and even better since I side loaded instagram I've convinced at least 7 people to get the z10

Well I'm slowly coming around to this phone after a very shaky start. lots of problems getting my ActiveSync account working. Lots of problems getting all my calendar data off my 9780. had to wipe the phone after a week and start over after finally gettting it setup because of some sort of problem with App World.

But I have to admit that BB support is probably the best I have ever come across in the tech world, they know their stuff and are very helpful

the worst part of the whole experience however is that pathetic excuse for support software BlackBerry Link. that software is nothing more than an acute embarrassment for BlackBerry. they should be ashamed at foisting that on the users.

No excuse for that BB, but all in all, I'll give the phone a 9 outta 10 and BB Link a 2.

My wife didn't want to give up her torch but she was due for an upgrade. So I bought another z10 and left it on her night stand. She didn't want it but I said I will keep it in my night stand and if she ever decides to try it I will activate it for her.....then I told her she could always go back to her torch no problem. I would then give the phone to one of the people at work. A week passes and then the old reluctant well just so I can BBM video chat with you and the kids. 2 weeks later, she can't put it down. The Z10 is the new phone to have bar none. I miss no apps and would not give up the HUB nor the new BBM for any phone app. QNX is the best. Please Microsoft, strike a deal with BlackBerry and rewrite windows using QNX!

I couldn't wait for this to launch in my country, so I picked up one at the Dubai airport while passing through. I used to have a 9900 - this phone is streets ahead. I had a Storm 2 once - actually, that was my first BlackBerry, and then I moved to a 9900 (I need to interact with a touchscreen see?), I was thinking I might not like the Z10 as much and might buy a Q10, but heck, this thing is brilliant! I've had it exactly a week today and I'm loving the experience.

Obviously it'll be nicer someday when you can download an app for pretty much anything that crosses your mind (I bought an iPod Touch for that with my 9900), but the basics are getting filled up fast and I do expect other devs will come on board once the platform gains popularity. And while I used to avoid the App World cos it was just so slow, I spend a lot of time checking out apps in BB World. Its fast and easy to browse, and I almost always find something to download.

In all, it was worth the wait. And I wish BB all the best!!!

N.B. I'm hoping I will be able to do BBM Video once I leave the Middle East. It will be crazy annoying if I can't - cos I was never able to put Facetime on an iPod Touch I bought once in Dubai. And it looks like this thing can call PlayBooks? Haven't tried it yet but I see the option... Has anyone tried that?

Yes you can call playbooks. You have to turn your phone to landscape tho and I believe camera on the left if i remember correctly otherwise you're sideways or upside down in the Playbook screen. I call my parents all the time.

I've had my z10 for just under a month and love it. As Kevin mentioned I was also a bit concerned about the touch screen experience, but it has been nothing short of fantastic. Now instead of accepting what we don't have, the challenge is waiting to see what we'll get next. As more apps roll out and things pick up steam it's a very exciting time to be a BlackBerry user!

I absolutely love my White Z10 and do not miss my 9780 at all. The Mrs has an S3 and I wouldn't swap with her. It's a shame that the UK have not stocked up on the accessories but hopefully we'll start to see things soon. Sky Go would be a nice addition as well as Skype, other everything else is tertiary. Let's hope blackberry gets the support in USA and things can really kick on from here. I'm so glad I waited all this time.

Best phone I have ever had and I have had a lot but always kept a BlackBerry on the go. This does everything I have ever wanted, for a future wish list though I would like to be able to shoot a panoramic shot. BlackBerry for life.

I seem to find something new every day. One of my favorite things is text selection, which is always an issue on small touch screen devices. I love the way a selection starts with one word and "Grows" as you hold down.

You should test the sound quality...I did...outside on my deck today with planes flying overhead even (didn't feel the need for headphones)..... Music on the Z10 drowned out my Itouch side by side (sorry, never used an Iphone)...the sound is fantastic in my opinion..could hear it from inside the house 3 rooms away...
there should be a sound rating system...or at least a comparison test...

Simply the best phone I have ever owned. Definitely there was some adjustments I had to make and learn new ways. As well am looking forward to sw updates to address some issues. Nothing that would make me ever give up this amazing phone though.

I kept my 9900 in case I wanted to switch back. There is zero chance of me going back.

Thank you to BBRY for releasing the Q10 later. Had I seen both together I am sure I would have chickened out on going touch screen. I love BlackBerry keyboards, especially my 9900. It took some getting use to and we both had to learn a bit from each other but now I love the BB10 virtual kb. I didn't at first though and initially had some doubts. Thanks again for the delay of the Q10 as I likely would not have purchased the Z10.

My PB is getting far less love attention as the experience on the Z10 is night and day better than any BlackBerry I have owned.

I was one of the fortunate ones with decent battery life from day one. I purchased the charger with extra battery but didn't really need to. Now with 22+ hours on days of heavy use and 35+ hours on lite days, I see even less value in having a spare battery.

There's no going back and the Z10 is here to stay and the Q10 likely won't tempt me.

Had mine almost a month, was initially worried about going to a touchscreen device after my 9900 but what I didn't appreciate was how good the keyboard was, especially the auto correct functionality. I think I can type faster on my Z10 than I can on my old phone which was a real surprise. The OS is fantastically fast and responsive and I find myself swiping up on other devices as well!

I have a windows 8 HTC as well and os10 makes it feel very last generation but I do miss the live tiles of the win 8 os.

Well it's been 1 month of enjoying watching all of you guys post about how you all love your Z10 and soon as the states get there's I shall post the same comments lol. But with all the post I haven't seen many speak on balance Kev whats up with that

I get the enthusiasm, and there's certainly enough places out there where one can find hate, but after a month it'd really be helpful to have a "needs improvement" list from you guys - things that you can't do as readily as you could with your old phones. I know you've covered this in the past, but frankly, you've covered much of the gushing in the past as well. I'm not looking to rain on the parade, but making explicit core functionality that still needs improving that hasn't carried over from previous BB, or your previous phones (beside the obvious absence of certain apps) would I think be beneficial, and would come across less as cheerleading.

KB shortcuts are listed above, that's certainly something I'd miss from my 9810, but are there any niggles that you guys, the experts, are finding that still need dramatic improvement?

Someone forgot to add a FILTER in the SEARCH...there is no "SENT"
if you follow me, there is : (under filters)
Unread
Attachment
Flagged
Received
Today
Yersterday
Last Week

But no way to search through mails SENT...they forgot the SENT...

Also..In my opinion..the 3 dots "action" should be colored "red" like the SPARK and should be placed higher in the "RIGHT SIDED" flow page that comes up when you hold down on a message icon...It "the action button" (the 3 dots) is TOO CLOSE to the DELETE...it makes it awckward enough that accidental message deletes can happen...
That is my honest opinion...(oh and I WON my Z10 from BELL on the inauguration..so I am a happy camper)...

I miss the physical keys and optical keypad with my 9900. As when I am walking in the cold I could still check and read my messages with my winter gloves on. Then pick and choose the ones worth freezing my hands off for to replay. But it is a great phone other then that.

I bought my Z10 a month ago worked well until today 30 days from purchase, the phone had a melt down stopped receiving calls, couldn't place calls. Powered the phone off and then back on able to make one call then it repeated. Powered it down again and then the phone seemed to work but then the contact list froze. Took it back to the store they tell me it's hardware tried to back up and restart same problem. Rogers solution pay another $179 plus admin fee and they will give me a new phone but no solution for the defective unit. I have been a blackberry customer for ever. I would not recommend this product to anyone. Rogers is rediculous 15 day replacment then you're on your own. We have 5 IPhones in the family no issues. I guess this product follows the stock down down down what a disapointment

Just from your account date and the tone I would advise against taking this at face value, however if I'm wrong I'm an ass but I'm okay with that.

You say you've been a "BlackBerry customer for ever" , and yet you wrote them off due to a possible manufacturing defect. The problem is with Rogers policy, not with BlackBerry no matter how you slice it. Also, no BlackBerry user "powers down" the device, we do a "battery pull". I suspect there are actually 6 iphones in your family.

I thought there was a 1 year warranty... My wifes BB9900 went in 2 weeks short of the 1 year and was fixed..no questions asked..and a LOANER provided for $150 refunded deposit... with contacts transferred..etc...the above makes no sense to anyone who buys any tech...doubtr Rogers would do this...

I don't care what anyone says, it was love at first touch for me. I wish I had the 9900 keyboard every now and then, unduplicated contacts, the Bloomberg app or Whatsapp (hopefully that's out next week), but it does what I want it most of the time.

The multitasking and browser are best in class and it's fast. iPhone and Android users don't know what they're missing. It makes their OS seem ancient in comparison.

I love BB. I've had an old Curve forever and a newer one with a Playbook ( a steal after it got treated so shabbily by folks who buy phones with bad antennas and pads that don't bridge.???) I would not have thought of buying another phone and I just love the damned thing as I slowly learn the keyboard. But wow! What an operating system. ZAP! It's right there. Beautiful to hold and use. Super graphics. I just love the damned thing. And after the update.. SHAZAM! You're doing a great job BlackBerry, Godspeed!

CLUB THUMBS!!
I have been reading so much about the Z10 and nothing about the Q10. The comments about the Z10 make me really want it, but I have what is called "club thumbs". I have no problem typing on my ancient 9000, so I was waiting for the Q10. Has anyone out there who has tried the Z10 got club thumbs? Can you type easily? I guess I have to wait till it comes to AT&T so I can play with it in the store.

Just wait for the Q10 - wife has long nails and can't operate the Z10..but loves her BB9900..so she is waiting for the Q10...
Club Hands and Long Fingernails... Solution...chop'em off....(jusssssst kidding..) --- Q10

I have longish thumbnails for various reasons and they get in the way of one - handed typing but by touching the keys with the inner edge of my thumb tips (not the "Pad" of my thumb) it works great... and thanks for the tip about tapping the insertion point right and left edges to move one character at a time... frustration level reduced significantly!)

Actually I had my Z10 for about 12 days and yes I had trouble with the keyboard and typing on it for the same reason. . Far too often when typing one letter I would end up getting the one beside it and even being as careful as I could it still seemed to persist. If you are able to try a Z 10,, I would suggest you try it both formats upright and then sideways. Turning it sideways changes the geometry of the keys dramatically and you might have fewer issues. Regardless it will be a learning curve, but if you believe all the posters you will be able to find it is something most people can adapt to over time. Personally I found it difficult, but not insurmountable..

My reason for returning my Z 10 has received little or no attention or reporting what so ever. The fact that the company I work for uses Business Enterprise Servers ( A Blackberry product so I am told, which enhances the security of communications ...one of the reasons companies choose them,) was an insurmountable problem.

Much to my dismay and regret, apparently BES-5 servers are unable to connect with the Z10.

Yes, there is an apparent patch coming out in May or June, but until then I would have been unable to connect with my company servers or even take off my email..That was a deal breaker for me..I HAVE to be able to read my company email...and was unable to...and our IT company confirmed this was true...

I turned to one of these forums and sure enough, an Insurance company exec/sales person had posted a lengthy article who found the same story...

So, by the time the patch is released, the Q 10 will be here and I will evaluate it all over again...You might want to consider the same, try it for a week or so and see if you are able to make the transition and if so you will have a great machine in your pocket. If not turn to the Q

I am BEYOND hype and excited to finally getting a Blackberry 10 phone when it launches in the US ...really think im going to give up the comfort zone of a keyboard and go for the Z10....no but seriously i am in need of BB10, as i type this my Bold 9900 freezes again SMH....im sure all this is worth the wait....the reviews give me life LOL

I've had my Z10 for almost a month and I do like it, a lot. The onscreen keyboard is taking some getting used to but the predictive typing and flicking words are both really great. It is unbelievably fast relative to my 8530. The hub I like. I am not a big app user so that is not a huge issue BUT I do miss Blackberry Travel (and yes I know "its coming"). I also have a problem with the calendar app and setting times for app'ts on it. Some of the new bits on OS10 are not IMHO intuitive. I downloaded the OS update today so we will see what does for battery longevity. I want to believe you guys but ...... I also like the camera and the ease of sharing pics on FB or Twitter. all in all I'm more satisfied than not with my Z10.

Kevin...This is a great article that can be used to promote the Z10. As you may know that there are so many BB bashers from the Cannacord analyst to James Facette, the Pacific Crest Securities analysts, and those writers from Seeking Alpha, Montley Fool, Bloomberg, etc. I think that it would be great if you can publish this survey for the public to read and see how the the current Z10 owners really think of the phone and I would say that there would be lots of new customers gravitating to the Z10. This would bring great publicity to our crackberry addicts!!!!

As a Windows Phone user, a Canadian, and an enthusiast in BB10, I can safely say I want this to succeed. It's a solid platform, it's a solid start, and now it's really up to BB to step up and continue to improve and update their devices.

One thing I'm not entirely sold on is the design of the OS. It feels a bit like an elective mix of Android and iOS... which is FINE, but it's not entirely unique. They really should focus on getting a distinct Blackberry style, something that looks cleaner. Maybe I'm just jaded with Windows Phone, but the design's really my only major gripe.

Other than that, the Z10 looks pretty fantastic (especially in white) and I hope they continue making better and better devices!

I have. Many times. I personally know a dev, so I've been playing with the devices since the Alpha A i.e well over a year ago. One of my friends has a Z10 in white, and it looks fantastic. Just the OS's style, not functionality, is a bit of a let down. I do like the OS, think it could LOOK better, that's all. :)

I've also played around with the retail devices, they're essentially the same as the Dev Alpha B, just a teensy bit better (and with the real hardware/shape of the device).

1 day for me and bit of a shock. Still working out how to set up things the way i liked on my 9810. Have had issues setting up my emails accounts. Also missing the apps that could run in the background without being open. Can't wait until the apis are released so this. Really missing things like smart wifi

The Z10 changed the way I use mobile devices. It's amazing and what's not to like? I have the Whiteberry - a striking design and a head turner when I take it out of its black leather holster. I enjoy watching the reactions of iphone users in the gym where I am a fitness instructor. I use the phone as my music source in the classes I teach. I am also a prolific photographer and while I've tended to ignore the cameras on my previous phones this one is really sweet. the f/2.2 lens is really sharp and image stabilization a nice touch - the images are as good as any you can expect from a point and shoot camera. A new flickr group dedicated exclusively to the Z10 (and Q10 when available) already has an active membership contributing some amazing photos. The HUB experience is perfect and the few apps I've downloaded (Nobex radio and Morphwiz) integrate seemlessly into that overall experience.

I got my z10 when on the first day it was launched here in Dubai. And I never had any problem navigating it coz I managed to check and see all there is to know before the launched date here. I was fluid with it. I'm loving it every single day. The experience was amazing and my friends are all envious with how the phone rocks and the fluidity of it. Multi tasking is the greatest advantage of having this phone. I just wish that carriers here in UAE will allow bbm video chat and call soon so that we can maximize the potential of the phone not to mention other apps that I'm waiting to be available like whatsapp (coming next week), skype, and instagram. When all my mentioned apps are available in BlackBerry world then it would be the time to sell my iPhone 5. :)

However, I was able to use BlackBerry video chat with my friend who has z10 and went to NYC for a short vacation. But locally its not working here in UAE.

Happy to read the good reviews, BUT I fully expect sales in the US to be bad, and maybe thats why blackberry probably decided to leave us for last on the release. People are pissed about that, but i understand the business reasons for it. I personally will give the Z10 a shot.

HEY BLACKBERRY ---- ADD MOUSE CONTROL without having to touch the screen...

EASY as 1-2-3 ...

you could turn the volume keys into a scrolling mouse by simply locking the volume (by choice on settings) which then transfers the up/down volume to cursor up/down..and left/right by inserting a horizontal dial like the old am/fm handsets where the center button is (or better yet - just a toggle left/right like on briefcase locks- even easier)...that would require minimal reconfiguration to the physical existing z10...but at least a SOFTWARE option that allows SCROLLING by using the VOLUME KEYS would be helpful to keeping the screen clear and less fingerprints...when reading....

The z10 has been available in South Africa since the beginning of March me being the septic I am resisted. Happy to report that I finally saw the light and got my device today! Words cannot explain how happy I am!

What I miss the most is how the messages notifications in BB7 had just unread messages so you could quickly go through unread messages, but I don't know how to configure the Hub to filter out unread messages... is there a way to do that quickly and temporarily, like a different "view" of the hub.

I have visited two stores recently here in Springfield...a Verizon dealer and a Wal-Mart kiosk. I've asked both if they are carrying the new Z10, both said not likely and then proceeded to tell me how bad BB is and tried to sell me the S3.

The fact is that the Z10 is going to be a tougher sell in the U.S. I really hope BB goes full assault on the air waves why the Z10 is better than their competitors.....that will help the transition tremendously.

I am very pleased with my new Z10. I remember back to when I received my PlayBook and how excited I was only to have certain disappointments. With the Z10 it worked very well out of the box and with so much time spent on my PlayBook I found operating the phone was so much easier.
A lot of my coworkers try it and seem to find the gesture based system very fluid.
Kudos to BlackBerry (Rim) on an excellent phone.
I truly thought I would miss the keypad but have to say I am not. Amazing typing experience and the predictive experience is something to behold!!

Ordered a unlocked version from UK, and got it shipped to DK and it works like a charm! Amazing piece of equipment, by far the best social media mobile out there, simply cuts the other competitors in half!

Quick, fast, BB is also updating it, new app's are incoming really fast, and best of all a remove-able battery as well as microSD!

Another way to use the navigation bubble is to put your finger in the bubble, drag the bubble down off the word, and then move the bubble left or right without lifting off your finger. You can easily move within the text and also, your finger doesn't block the view! BB10 rocks!!

I am still waiting for ATT to release the Z10. I have been reading the forums since initial release. Sounds like there are great expereinces so far. One thing I have not heard mentioned in this post is Data usage. There have been complaints from some, and others say Data usage is normal at worst. Any Comments from you guys would be helpful. Nursing my 9800 till the Z10 becomes available. Can not wait!!!!

Another anecdotal report....went into out mall today and went by the AT&T kiosk and asked them when the Z10 would arrive. The response from a young 20ish girl, "Oh, I don't know....could be months." I just shook my head.

Went over to the Verizon kiosk and ask same question.....the gentlemen was very nice and said it would be soon because his staff was going to get trained on it in two weeks. FIRST time out of four encounters that FINALLY someone knew what they hell was going on.

I'm holding out for the Q10. I tried the Z10 and it's not the same as the full qwerty physical keyboard experience. Also, the keyboard just, at times, cannot keep up with my speed. So I'll be holding out for it. The z10 is flipping fantastic. If I had a choice, I would grab it as my second playbook companion! But I'll be going for the Q10. I don't care about screen size. :)

I am a long time BB user and really want to keep using BB but BB makers are making it difficult. No Skype and Whats up and low battery life along with wifi issues and high pricing makes it a nonviable option to get another BB. Please advise if switching to iphone 5 is a better option and will bb ever fix these problems. Iphone gives us replacement warranty for 2 yrs and with BB and lack of service centers and high repair costs its a pain if u encounter any problems.... Pls advise earliest or I have to get a iPhone or Samsung S4.

I had the Torch 9810 for two years and loved it. But when the Z10 came out I passed it on to my wife (it still has contract left). I thought I would miss it...

Now I hate having to go back on the Torch to help my wife out with it. It just seems like such an archaic way of doing things.

My biggest gripe with my PlayBook is that it chokes on my 6 email, three calender, facebook and twitter accounts. Opening messages and deleting individual or group emails, all take way too long.

Not so on my Z10. It opens emails, deletes multiple emails over multiple accounts, back and forth, all seamlessly and instantaneously.

The phone waits for me, not the other way around.

What would I still like to see...
1. Better integration with the PlayBook - especially in the contacts and calendering (is that a word?).
2. Individual notification sounds for contacts and by type (ie. BBM/email/DM/etc.)
3. Colour led notifications (i used an app - that is not yet available - to have notifications from my wife in pink, my son in white, my girlfriend in blue...)
4. Skype, Netflix, Instagram and WhatsApp - not for me, I could care less - to shut up the whiners (not possible, I know, but hey, "That's a dealbreaker!!!")
5. Native car mount (ie. not a generic make-do) so that I can sit it on my dash in landscape, charging, and running Blackberry Maps. - most car mounts cover the charging ports.

That's it. Expecting improvements with the US launch to cover most of the above.

Hello Fellow CrackBerrians - Over a month with the Z10, I am still in love and there are no signs of it dying. Browsing, Gaming, Battery Life, NFC Tags, Keyboard Typing, Story Maker, and 1080p video recording are some of the features I use on a daily basis. No complaints here!!!!

The z10 ROCKS! BlackBerry got this right. Now if MTN Nigeria can just push out the update. Or any Nigerian network for that matter. Or blackberry should push it out themselves cos the wait is........ argghhhh!

Am on my 10th day with mine and every day is a lovely experience..I'm an iPhone user and at first I was skeptical as to the difference but heck why compare? Both got their "Ups and downs" but z10 now is my new baby and I'm loving it. #ilovethehub

One thing which I am sure the reviewers above will agree with me with is that the Z10 has an excellent and very fast browser which has raised the bar in the market for what engagement with the web on the move should be.

CrackBerry is in no way Affiliated with BlackBerry. We take pride in our unbiased content, however do occasionally receive free products from vendors that we review or discuss. For more info click here.